Attendee Information

Presenter and Exhibitors Resources

Presenters and exhibitors should pay special attention to attendees with disabilities. The APHA Disability Section has created the following guidelines for creating accessible presentations and exhibit booths.

Chemical Sensitivity

The APHA Annual Meeting is a smoke-free event. Smoking is not permitted in any of the meeting rooms used for APHA sponsored meetings and events. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is a smoke-free environment, but be aware that some hotels may allow smoking in certain public areas. Specific requests will be made by APHA to the hotels and the convention center that chemicals not be used on the meeting room carpeting within four days of the commencement of our meeting and that only unscented products be used in guest rooms. In addition, APHA requests that its meeting attendees refrain from using perfume, cologne, aftershave, and other fragranced, scented, or odorous personal care products such as shampoo, hairspray, and hand lotion, for the health and comfort of meeting participants.

APHA's official decorator, GES, installs new carpeting just before the Public Health Expo opens. This carpeting is made from 25 percent post industrial recycled fiber, is 100 percent recyclable and is classified as low VOC (volatile organic compound).

Meeting Room Setup

Specific requests will be made to the APHA Meeting Hotels and the Convention Center regarding adequate aisle space and cut-outs for wheel chair users in all meeting rooms. Please note the standard head table set up provides a podium and podium microphone. If you are presenting a paper, and require a tabletop or lavaliere microphone, please notify APHA in writing at least three weeks prior to the meeting. Every effort will be made to set meeting rooms to accommodate people with disabilities both as speakers and in the audience. Please contact us by email or phone at 202-777-2475 with any accessibility requests.

Chronic Pain

APHA members with disabilities (including chronic pain) have indicated that in crowded locations and at other times at APHA, they experience unintended pushing or well-intended taps that have caused pain or have caused them to lose their balance. Please be aware of this and be considerate of all registrants.